What Price Gloria? (episode)
|alt-title = |image = 2x04 Gloria2.JPG |image-size = 290px |image-caption = |season-epno = 04 |season = 2 |broadcastdate = Oct. 25, 1989 |teleplay = |story = |writer = |director = |leap-date = October 16, 1961 |place = |leapee = Samantha Stormer |prev = |next = }} Summary October 16, 1961: For the first time, Sam gets to use his own name. There's just one tiny catch: this time, he's a woman instead of a man. He has leaped into a gorgeous blonde named Samantha Stormer(Samantha the leapee is played by LaReine Chabut). Sam has to avoid the lecherous come-ons of his boss while saving Samantha's best friend, Gloria Collins (played by Jean Sagal), from committing suicide over a man who's done her wrong. And Al is no help, because he's so attracted to Sam in Samantha's body! Plot Sam leaps in, enjoying a bubble bath. A woman named Gloria, his host's flatmate and best friend, calls out "Sam" which pleases him, as he finally gets to be called by his own name. Gloria bursts into the bathroom and tells him to hurry up and get ready for his first day of work as "Miss youngest executive at the company". Sam is suddenly confused to be referred to as "Miss" and looks in the mirror, finding a young, beautiful blonde woman staring back at him. He is Samantha Stormer, a young single woman who has recently been hired to work as an executive secretary at the National Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. Al arrives and is immediately infatuated with Sam. Sam now realizes that Al, like everybody else, sees him for the person he has leaped into, rather than himself. Al tells Sam he must act like a woman until they can figure out his mission. Gloria and Sam walk to the bus station, with Sam dressed uncomfortably in women's clothing and high heels. The two catch the bus to work where Gloria is engaged to Sam's boss, Buddy Wright (played by John Calvin), but is upset that he didn't tell her about his promotion to Vice President of the company. Sam, meanwhile, gets to work as Buddy's secretary. Buddy invites him into his office where he removes his jacket and proceeds to make sexual advances. Sam rejects Buddy's advances and accuses him of sexual harassment. Unsure of the term "sexual harassment", Buddy remains undeterred, assuming that Sam is simply playing hard-to-get with him, and sends him back to work, telling him, condescendingly, to put on some make up. While Sam is applying lip stick in the bathroom, Al arrives. Al is frustrated and ashamed of his strong attraction to Sam and admits that it is adversely affecting his relationship with girlfriend, Tina, and has forced him to seek help from the Project psychiatrist, Doctor Beeks. Gloria bursts into the room and excitedly proclaims that Buddy was keeping his promotion a secret to surprise her and that he is leaving his wife in the holidays to marry her. Al tells Sam that Buddy never leaves his wife and that, as a result, Gloria commits suicide. Sam tries to convince Gloria that Buddy is the wrong man for her, but Gloria contests that Buddy is the only man who has ever made her feel special. Sam says she shouldn't need a man to make her feel special. Gloria tells him that Buddy is coming to the apartment to discuss their future. Sam tries to make her realize that Buddy has no long-term interest in Gloria but is just using her for sex. However, Gloria refuses to listen. When Buddy arrives at the apartment, he asks Sam to take his dog for a walk. Sam reluctantly does so and is joined by Al, who remains testy because of his infatuation for Sam. Sam is frustrated that he must wear uncomfortable women's clothing, put up with unwelcome advances from men, deal with his best friend's crush on him along with the fact that Gloria will not listen to his advice. The next morning, Gloria is feeling happy after spending the night with Buddy. Sam tells her that Buddy will never leave his wife, no matter what he says. Gloria becomes angry and accuses Sam of being jealous because Samantha has never found a man who loved her for anything other than her body. Sam tries to explain to Gloria that he doesn't want to see her get hurt. Gloria asks Sam to try and accept her relationship to Buddy. Sam gives tacit approval, but only because he needs Gloria to accompany him on a prearranged double date the two have organized. Gloria and Sam have their double date at a downtown restaurant. Gloria's date, Parker (played by Gregg Berger), is a straight laced, recently divorced man who says meeting Gloria has made him happy again, while Sam's date, Dick (played by Matt Landers), is a sleazy, lecherous-type who makes repeated unwanted advances on Sam, including grabbing his knee. Sam uses his umbrella to slug the man in the face and knock him to the ground. Sam leaves the table to talk to Al, who tells him that Gloria will commit suicide tonight. Gloria notices Buddy and his wife Gail (played by Laurel Schaefer) enter the restaurant and be seated. While Buddy is away, Gloria approaches Mrs. Wright and offers sympathy for the divorce she is undergoing with her husband. Mrs Wright coldly informs Gloria that she and Buddy have an arranged marriage, and that Buddy will never leave her because of the social status he has acquired from marrying her. After receiving the news, and being dressed down by Mrs. Wright's cutting remarks, Gloria leaves the table in tears. Parker approaches Sam, telling him that he witnessed Gloria become upset and leave the restaurant. Realizing that Gloria had interacted with Buddy's wife, Sam rushes off to find Gloria. Gloria is standing on the ledge of their apartment, about to jump to her death. Sam convinces Gloria that, by committing suicide, she will make Buddy think she is killing herself over him. Unwilling to give him such satisfaction, Gloria comes to her senses and decides against suicide. She makes her way back to the apartment window, but part of the ledge begins to crumble and she finds herself trapped. Sam climbs out the window and, clinging to a drain pipe, helps Gloria to safety. Later, as Gloria is recuperating, Sam makes her some warm milk. Gloria says despondently that, at 27, she's afraid she's left it too late to get married. Sam tells her to stop worrying about finding a husband and worry about making herself feel good. He persuades her to pursue her interests and enter the design program of the company. Gloria seems heartened by Sam's advice and seemingly emancipated. Sam goes to meet Al in the kitchen. Al has resolved his issues with being attracted to Sam, and accepted that love is simply part of their friendship. He also tells Sam that Gloria ends up getting married to Parker, the guy she went on a date with earlier, and the two have several kids together. However, it is Samantha who enters the design program and becomes head of the division, though she never marries. Sam asks why, if his mission has been accomplished, has he not leaped. Al tells him that he must first enact revenge on Buddy. Sam arrives at the office the next day, and begins flirting with Buddy. Buddy, thinking he has finally succeeded at seducing Samantha, proceeds to reciprocate. However, Sam quickly informs him that he is a man. Horrified by the revelation, Buddy begins to back away and, taking advantage of his confusion, Sam throws a punch and knocks Buddy in the jaw, sending him to the ground. Satisfied with his vengeance, Sam is then able to leap. The Science of Leaping *In this episode, we learn that Al sees Sam as whoever he's leaped into, hence the reason for his out-of-control desire for Sam/Samantha. In later episodes, however, Al would see Sam as he appears to the viewers. Continuity Samantha Stormer would show up as one of Sam's split personalities in the episode "Shock Theater." Music *Venus (performed by Frankie Avalon) Podcast http://quantumleappodcast.com/episodes/season-two/012-what-price-gloria/ Fate's Wide Wheel - A Quantum Leap Podcast with Sam and Dennis - What Price, Gloria? Category:Episodes Category:Season Two